The $600 Million Social Life Of Foursquare Founder Dennis Crowley

In 2001, the week Crowley turned 25, Vindigo went through a series of layoffs and Crowley was let go. That same week he was evicted from his apartment.

Crowley spent the summer trying to line up interviews, but jobs were scarce.

Then, one September morning, Crowley woke up to a crash.

He wrote about it on his blog.

“I got up, grabbed some juice, turned on my laptop to find a bunch of IMs from people telling me the WTC was bombed. I turned on the tv then ran upstairs to check out the scene from the roof ... The hole on the South Tower (left side) has to be at least 20 stories high.Dennis Crowley via Teendrama

"I spent the next 15 minutes on the roof waiting for the dust clouds from the first tower to clear. I was up there when I heard the second boom and watched the North Tower crash to the ground.”

On September 11, Crowley watched the twin towers crumble before his eyes.

Crowley's life, it seemed, followed suit.

In a matter of months he lost his job, his girlfriend, his home, his direction and eventually New York City and all the friends it held. Crowley was forced to move home to New Hampshire. He hadn’t a clue where life would take him next.

Crowley remained in New Hampshire for the next seven months. It was a tough transition and his spirits were down.

“He went from living in New York to living in a tiny little ski house in New Hampshire, and from making a good amount of money to making about $6 per hour teaching kids to snowboard,” says J.

Dodgeball had continued to transform as Crowley’s side project, but up in New Hampshire he didn’t have the heart to work on it.

Bored, alone and broke, Crowley survived by making a few ground rules. From his blog:

Note to fellow unemployed kids: (aka Rules to Live By)1. Leave your apt before noon every day.2. No drinking before 5pm.3. No watching TV before 5pm (except during lunch).4. No taking taxis.5. No eating meals when drunk.

Resilient, Crowley turned the bad times into jokes and wrote haikus for his troubles:

unemployment check.you never showed up this week.please come again soon.

every month i throweighty dollars towards this gym.towels should be free.

atm machinei already know i'm poorkeep your damn receipt

hello girl from nervei wish you were half as cuteas you looked online

99 cent nugs,junior bacon cheeseburgerand a frosty, please.

ex-girlfriend. birthday.send a card - or just "forget"?my heart she broke. twice.

Finally Crowley applied to graduate school; Allard wrote his recommendations.

Crowley was accepted into NYU's ITP program. He packed up his bags and moved back to Manhattan where he met fellow student Alex Rainert.